Various types of carbonation units have been used in the past. Such carbonation devices may either use dry ingredients that are dissolved in water to form carbon dioxide gas by chemical reaction so as to carbonate the water. Such prior art devices, however, are messing and tend to leave residuals from the chemical reactions. Examples of such prior art devices are illustrated in Canadian Patents Nos. 1,168,086; 1,600,893; 1,025,252; 1,025,272 and 1,004,591.
Moreover, there are other prior art devices which use carbon dioxide canisters which are utilized for a single charge but then need to be replaced. Examples of such units include U.S. Pat. No. 2,805,846; 4,222,972. Other single charge cartridge systems are known but their functionality is limited due to the requirement of constantly needing to replace the carbon dioxide canister.
A carbonator for gasifying liquid having an injunction passage closed by a one-way non-return valve is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,140.
Increasing interest in home carbonation systems have resulted in a number of units utilizing more substantial carbon dioxide gas cylinders, with the capacity for carbonating a much larger volume of liquids. Examples of such systems in the prior art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,481,986 and 4,927,569.
Moreover, applicant has filed U.S. patent application No. 08/031,715 on 3/15/93 disclosing a carbonation device which is improved over the prior art.
It is an object of this invention to provide improvements of carbonation devices and particularly high-pressure gas release valves than that which is heretofore known.
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a device for activating the release of pressurized gas through a passage, including: valve means disposed within said passage, said valve means having an inlet and an outlet, said valve means moveable between an open position to permit communication of said gas with said passage, and said inlet and outlet, and a closed position to stop communication of said gas between said inlet and outlet; piston means for activating said valve means between said open and closed position where said piston is spaced from said valve; support means associated with said piston means for slidably supporting said piston means between said open and closed positions.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a device for activating the release of pressurized gas through a passage from a carbon dioxide container to a beverage container so as to carbonate said beverage, said device including: a valve body disposed within said passage means extending longitudinally so as to present two opposite ends thereof with a bore extending between said ends and hole disposed between said ends and communicating with said bore for defining an outlet; a valve disposed within said valve body adjacent said one of said ends defining an inlet for communication with said passage, said valve activatable between an open position to permit communication of said gas from said carbon dioxide container through said inlet into said passage and out said outlet into said beverage container so as to carbonate said beverage, and a closed position to stop communication of said gas between said inlet and said outlet; a piston disposed within said valve body extending into said bore for activating said valve, said piston moveable between a closed position where said piston is spaced from said valve and an open position where said piston contacts said valve; a support disposed within said bore adjacent said other end of said valve body, said support including a centrally disposed longitudinal passageway for slidably supporting said piston between said open and closed positions; a moveable switch for moving said piston and said valve between said open and closed positions.
A further aspect of this invention relates to a device for carbonating beverages, including: a housing presenting passage means; a high pressure carbon dioxide container releasably securable to said housing at one end of said passage means; a beverage container releasably engageable with said housing for communication with said other end of said passage means; a valve body disposed within said passage means extending longitudinally so as to present two opposite ends thereof with a bore extending between said ends and hole disposed between said ends and communicating with said bore for defining an outlet; a valve disposed within said valve body adjacent said one of said ends defining an inlet for communication with said passage means, said valve activatable between an open position to permit communication of said gas from said carbon dioxide container through said inlet, into said passage means out said outlet, into said beverage container so as to carbonate said beverage, and a closed position to stop communication of said gas between said inlet and said outlet; a piston disposed within said valve body extending into said bore for activating said valve, said piston moveable between a closed position where said piston is spaced from said valve, to an open position where said piston contacts said valve; a support disposed within said bore adjacent said other end of said valve body, said support including a centrally disposed longitudinal passageway for slidably supporting said piston between said open and closed positions; a moveable switch for moving said piston and said valve between said open and closed positions; pressure regulating means for reducing the pressure of said pressurized gas from said carbon dioxide container to said beverage container.